Nitisinone (IUPAC name: 2-[2-nitro-4-(trifluoromethyl)benzoyl] cyclohexane-1,3-dione) is currently approved under the trade name ORFADIN (FDA NDA NO21232) to treat Hereditary Tyrosinemia type-1 (HT-1). This is a rare genetic disorder in which the newborn child is unable to break down the amino acid tyrosine, which causes the build up of toxic metabolites that can lead to liver failure, kidney dysfunction and neurological problems. Daily treatment with nitisinone (dosage 1 mg/kg) prevents the build up of toxic metabolites.
Nitisinone has the structural formula:

As the commercial product ORFADIN, nitisinone is currently administered orally in capsule form, available in three dosages, 2, 5 and 10 mg. It is an immediate release capsule formulation of nitisinone with pre-gelatinised starch as the only excipient.
However, one of the major disadvantages concerning the currently available commercial product is that, due to stability issues, it must be stored at 2-8° C. (i.e. it must be refrigerated). This is a significant drawback to HT-1 patients and their families. As a result, it is an object of the present invention to provide a nitisinone composition which is stable under a range of temperature conditions, such that there are no longer any storage implications. The benefit of such a formulation is that it will allow HT-1 patients to travel more freely and to gain more independence without the worry of keeping the medication within the required storage conditions.